The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-03-24

ou> support. And the woman who marrie> one
so mWtilaicd in lii> country'> defense, should at
his ,y;jh receive i pension adequate !or the en-
! tire support OF herself and children.
hat wealth. what treasure. poured INTO his
lap. coui compensate him for What he has lost +.
shut osG forever from the light of day. and all
thai males !if" beautiful and desirable. What
earthly wealth can compensate the man who
carries around constantly heavy w"o.i,,n leg,
or bears his failing weight upon II crulch: God
pit, thym. a> old age crcrl> on with IT, own
| burden of weakness which il ever brings.
About two wears ago received Il letter from
an o, soldier in Burnh;lm. Maine. He was an
entire stranger to me. hHt had seen my name in
'hc National Tribune. lie told pathetic story.
said lie was injured in the stomach. permanent
lY. hut managed /" serve h~ three wears. He
~aN> Il never expected To cross the Ohio river
a.ain. hHt | did and since the war closed |
have done " hat | could I" earn AN honest iv-
ing. but for Two wears have been Il burden tn
my wife. | ah"rcd till could worl. no i"si9''r.
y rcu>l"a ought I" have. Is never Wa- >Ich
u dit not tlnptpN"d Il doctor umti >iHr, The Wlr
closed GA, year ~" til, thought could moi
I INr. aud my wife wrote IL the Pension office
With tears in her eyes. hat for want ~ proof |
am denied. and ! must boar it patiently rs did
Job Of obi, for ! cannot last lon". ! anI not
ashamed If ny war record tid hclong tn the
post IN I ntt. Poor fellow. if All The tears
shed ~ ht!pl,>> widows and orphans al sol
dicr> could hc gathered together. they wouii
crv>tailo tnc hinge pension buding into a glit-
trrn@ ~4jlmc laIacr. Neither tears nor >ent-
/ Wcnl Wj.t ser secure INST pension laws.
Let cNorN coinftdc Of The Grand Army put
I h. uNn shoulder to he heel. Let every ron-
rid, remember that there are now more than
l3.Hn" tli >oI,licr> in The poor houses III this
country. Let every comradc realize that the
drain on the rcli,t fund, .! Grand Army Posts
i already fearful un, and constantly incgC;i>-
iny.
Let every business man IN TIE country under
stand thHt The so 0@nohO >rgi ont quarterly
would i'o% into every a> ch,,c u. trade. ard tiIe
money hr circulated TO the advantage If the
general government. Any measure " Which benz
ofil> the i,w. also benefits the unuy tny pcl-
son measures which vii! rvjie>c the cNi,.arir>
of the lrl,~~ ones, will jmlir,e city benefit the
entire rountr,. And. finally, thp shame IF it.
They ioli-hl and suffered ''tha the yoNrrnne III
OF til" people, for tine people. and by the people
should not perish from the carth.' MANY sac
riiirci their best prospects in life. and in the
lu>h If Young munhupd went forth {" iiLht for
the nations lft. '!Went y-fNe wears on4ht not
10 oblityintr "What lac WI and AL hc dared"
from tl, hearts of the Americas people. Sha
th" rather or mother who cheerfuly 4:lNc one
tWo, three. and sometimes more Of their We'll
! lty,I boys ~ 'i!'tdin~ country hc denied this
,ilanrr in tIIeii cid n-c: Many fathers lip.
t"etl-lhIre Years a-o. when ti" heavy calls
were made for more u.cn. uttered the ptifH
cry Of him OF old. '',Io~cph i not, and Simeon
l. net and will yc take t;cnialuin al>u:' And
the MOI hers of g.. hat Of th"n> " hH can
measure the agony AuI grief and suspense of
that time. y hen oiL days ami ni.l!i> Of unccr-
tau1N turroWcd tn brow AND hlcacicl the
hair. Ina thousands of ca>,> no definite know i
cOi2r of thr hest ones ever CAME back. Only -
iaN> were braided into weeks and wees, into
nouth>. 1Ie dreadful knowird-r WAS Slew IL
forced Iip,ii The mother heart that somewhere.
''lu ali Ii, autumn.
In ii lonely. lonely Glade.
In the drraly de>ulation
That the battle storm ha made.
With the ru>t upo!. hi> nu>ket.
Meath the damp and ooZing dew.
In the rank Gloom of the fern leaves
Lies her boy 50 brave and true.
one by one those sad tragedies of oar civil
war have passed from the remembrance. and
perhaps it i well they should. liIt il is not We'll
that the l,oplr should become Indifferent 10 Tie
nec'i~ of the many who NOW claim justice for
what they did. Let the Grand Army Of the
rpnblir-Which has done much to prrpctu-
ate the memory Of The heroic dead. and care for
the ndlgcnt Nlng -1rNcr cease lis efforts ;i~ a
body, until the ut l-hts Of needy vet, rams are
secured. AMI t'ic4u" pensions are granted '}-
pendent parents. and widows and orphans. If
the GRAVES Of those who have fae!. are our>. in
solemn trust. 10 >trcW with flowers on the
threshold Of summer how much more sacred
and solemn j. the duty and obligation wr owe
10 those ho Vet remain to claim our aid and
care. IiflEN \. P>'k ,l;p.
Springfield. Mass, March Nth. 49,.